Posts tagged ‘ecofrenfood’

Cooking doesn’t get more primal and exciting than this. For centuries, the bedouins have been burying hot coals and meat in the desert sand and letting it cook, slowly. What comes out of the hole many hours later is the most seductive aroma and tenderest lamb imaginable. But you also get to learn an ancient lesson in cooking, hospitality and survival in one of the world’s harshest environments.

Sushi that isn’t off a conveyor belt

Strictly speaking, conveyor belts are for factories and airports, not restaurants. True, conveyor belts brought sushi to the masses, which is a good thing.

But to appreciate the sheer skill and artistry involved in real sushi, you have to visit a proper sushi restaurant. You’ll begin to understand the delicate balance between nature, texture, temperature and flavour that makes real sushi a genuine art form. And you won’t feel like you’re in a factory.

Caviar

You’re at a dinner party among esteemed guests. They start discussing caviar. You’d like to join in the conversation, but you’ve never had caviar. You feel embarrassed. How could you get to 35 without trying one of the world’s most coveted luxury foods? If you had, you’d be part of the cultured elite who know that the excruciatingly expensive sloppy black fish eggs taste like salt – a lot of salt – that’s been kept for a month in a trout’s pocket.

A meal cooked by a Michelin-star chef

Whether they’re a genuine mark of excellence, or just a glorified backslapping exercise, Michelin stars are what set the René Redzepis of this world apart from the Ronald McDonalds. Standards of service, hygiene and culinary artistry will almost certainly be as high as the bill. At the very least, it’s a chance to see what all the fuss is about and brag to your friends.

Something you’ve killed yourself

Most proud carnivores would kill for a juicy steak. Or would they? The uncomfortable truth about meat is that somebody has to slaughter it. So why shouldn’t it be you? You don’t have to bring down a wildebeest on the plains of the Serengeti or wring the neck of a chicken in your backyard. Catching a fish will do. It’s edifying for a man to know he has the guts and respect to kill what he eats.

Real Wagyu beef

There’s no steak like the heavily marbled, intensely flavoursome meat of the Japanese Wagyu breed of cow. Much of it is reared in Australia and the US, but to experience the knee-bending pleasure of genuine Wagyu, you have to go Japanese. Look out for the Kobe, Matsusaka or Ohmi varieties, which all benefit from the unique terroir and intensive care of Japanese farms. Only then can you say you’ve had the best beef in the world.

Cassava

It’s estimated that over half a billion people around the world rely on cassava as a staple food. Unlike other staples such as rice, potatoes or maize, there’s a reason why you rarely see it in restaurants – it’s not very nice.

Often bitter or woody, it must be prepared carefully to remove toxins. But it keeps people alive. You should try it so you know what they have to put up with.

100 per cent cacao chocolate

Your idea of pure chocolate might be a Snickers cake with a Cadbury’s creme egg on top, but believe it or not, that’s about as far from real chocolate as Rolf Harris is from a carefree shower. With its bitter, leathery flavour, chocolate made with 100 per cent cacao (or cocoa) is a surprisingly intense experience, up there with smoking a fine cigar.

Something you’ve grown yourself

Just because you’re a clean-living vegetarian doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get your hands dirty. Growing and eating your own fruit, herbs or vegetables makes you appreciate the time, care and diligence required to put food on your table.

Converting your garden into an arable farm might be a turnip too far, but you can easily grow cherry tomatoes, coriander and even chillies on the hottest of desert balconies.

Something nasty

If you can eat fish-head curry while all those around you are losing their appetites; if you can confidently crack the shell of a balut egg, and not squeal at the downy duck embryo inside…

If you can stomach the stinking maggot-ridden cheese of casu marzu, or nibble deep-fried Thai cockroaches with pride; you’ll be able to convince your children to eat their salad, and everything that’s in it, and you’ll be a man, my son.

Something dangerous

Killing your own food is one thing – what about food that can kill you? Cheating death can be hungry work, so head to Japan and have fugu, or pufferfish, which contains a poison 1,200 times deadlier than cyanide.

Chefs undergo years of training to obtain a fugu licence, but that hasn’t stopped more than 20 fugu eaters dying in Japan since the turn of the century. Good luck!

A lot of chilli

It’s embarrassing for a man when his dinner-date is popping chillies like they were cherry drops, while he sits cowering in the corner sucking an ice cube with a wet towel on his head.

Also, chillies taste good. They’re in curry, peri-peri chicken and pretty much all Mexican food. If you haven’t built up a resistance to hot chillies by the time you’re 35, you probably never will.

Camel meat

To understand why the camel is regarded with such warmth and affection in the Gulf, you must eat its meat. A highly prized delicacy, camel meat is usually saved for special family occasions, such as births or weddings. If it’s a young one, the meat is tender and rich in flavour, and aside from the fatty hump, is generally leaner than most red meat.

Oysters

You can divide men into two categories. Those who can swallow oysters, and those who can’t. For the latter group, eating oysters is like swallowing a fisherman’s phlegm.

But for a real man, an oyster is a divine gift from the oceans, bursting with complex saline flavours, delivering a zinc blast that will keep him sharp and alert for whatever the night may yield.

Proper Parmesan

There comes a time in every man’s life when he must understand what proper Parmesan cheese is.

Parmigiano-Reggiano is a solid block of fragrant pressed cow’s milk cheese from certain regions of northern Italy – not the pre-shredded stuff in little cardboard tubes that looks and tastes like sweaty toe-hair dandruff. OK?

10 Everyday Things That Age You

Find out how to limit the damage of the elements that wreak havoc on your skin

Inflammatory Foods

If your daily meals are filled with foods that cause chronic inflammation, such as vegetable oils, margarine, red meats, white bread, or sugary, processed foods, you’re not doing your skin any favors. These foods can cause inflammation in your body, which may accelerate wrinkle formation. To prevent premature aging, stock up on foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) such as flaxseeds, flaxseed oil, avocados, salmon, and and olive oil. These foods will help your skin maintain its soft and supple look.

Be sure to load up on fruits and veggies, too. Fresh produce is abundant in zinc, selenium, vitamin C, and beta carotene, all of which are key players in the body’s production of collagen (which keeps skin firm), as well as protecting against free radicals. Two good options are red bell peppers and carrots. Simply slice them up for a convenient on-the-go snack you can take anywhere. Not a fan? Try upping your intake of broccoli—just 1 cup has 100 percent of the total daily recommended value of vitamin C.

Lastly, make sure you’re getting enough protein—recent studies show that an insufficient amount of protein can cause tears, wrinkles, and cracks in your skin. Aim to get at least one protein-containing food (for example, eggs, lean beef or poultry, beans) at each meal.

Hormonal Imbalances

Your body produces human growth hormone (HGH) in the pituitary gland. Among its many functions, HGH works with collagen to maintain skin and muscle composition. As you age, your body’s natural production of collagen slows, which can lead to looser and thinner skin. While you may not be able to stop time completely in its tracks, you can slow its effects: The results of a 2012 double-blind study on supplement brand SeroVital suggests that certain combinations of amino acids can actually stimulate the body’s production of HGH, which in turn, can help promote collagen production and help you maintain your firm, smooth skin. Both male and female patients given a special blend of amino acids saw a mean increase of more than six times the levels of HGH they started with at the beginning of the study. The patients also experienced faster metabolism and increased endurance.

Anecdotal evidence also seems promising: People who have taken HGH injections or supplements report brighter skin, better hearing, an improved sex drive, and having more energy.

Alcohol is a natural diuretic, according to Huffington Post Healthy Living, so the more you drink, the more dehydrated you become. Besides sapping the natural moisture from your skin, excessive alcohol also triggers rosacea outbreaks and exacerbates fine lines, acne, and wrinkles, all of which instantly make you look older. You don’t have to swear off the bottle altogether, but by drinking less, your liver doesn’t have to work as hard to flush out toxins and impurities from your body, and when it works more efficiently, you’ll see the results in your skin.

Stress

Nothing takes its toll on your body faster than constant worry, anxiety, or stress. In fact, a 2012 study suggests that job-related stress can have a harmful effect on DNA in your cells. According to an article published by Huffington Post, researchers measured the length of DNA sections called telomeres and found that people with the most work-related stress had the shortest telomeres, causing cells to die or become damaged, which may speed up the aging process. Additionally, stress can age your brain, increase your blood pressure, and disrupt your sleeping habits, all of which combined can make you look older, as well.

It’s hard for most people to reduce the amount of work-related stress they face (and if you can, we want to work where you do!), but hopefully, you can dial it down with just a few simple lifestyle tweaks. Limit the amount of caffeine you drink, avoid processed foods, which can put stress on your digestive system, and try taking up a weekly yoga or meditation session to boost your mood and calm your mind. Not your thing?

Too Little Sleep

More than a third of American adults don’t get the recommended amount of sleep per night, which can cause big-time negative effects on your health, such as weight gain, impaired immune system, decreased focus, sallow skin, and compromised memory.

If you can, try to get between seven and nine hours of sleep per night. But be careful: Sleeping too long on one side of your face can cause wrinkles and “sleep lines”, according to an article by Allure. The best way to avoid fine lines and wrinkles is by sleeping on your back or purchasing smooth pillowslip cases. “Satin or silk is best,” Fransesca Fusco, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Medical center in New York, told the magazine. “Or buy the softest, highest-thread-count fabric you can find.”

Sunbathing

As amazing as that sun feels on your body, sunbathing or tanning is one of the worst things you can do for your skin. Besides the risk of cancer, excessive UV ray exposure weakens your skin cells and blood vessels, which causes that tanned, leathery look you see on people who’ve spent their entire lives outdoors. Interestingly enough, it can even make your skin more susceptible to bruising.

So how do you protect yourself? Sunscreen. All day, every day. It may seem obvious, but a recent four-year Australian study just officially confirmed what experts have long suspected: That the regular, daily application of sunscreen can fight wrinkles, reduce the risk of developing skin cancer, and keep your skin smooth and resilient.

To make sure you’re maximizing the benefits of sunscreen, use about 1 ounce (that’s the size of a standard shot glass) of SPF 30 sunscreen for your entire body, with a nickel-sized amount for your face, and remember to reapply sunscreen every two hours, especially on those hot summer days when you’re constantly in and out of the pool.

If you skipped the sunblock and are already burned, there may not be a lot you can do, but the next time you go out, arm yourself against the sun’s harmful rays by combining your daily moisturizer with a vitamin C serum, such as Youth Corrider Boost 2.0 to reverse the damage. “Studies have shown that if you put vitamin C on the skin, it somewhat prevents the skin from getting burned,” Gerald Imber, M.D., a plastic surgeon practicing in New York and author of the Youth Corridor told SHAPE. “If you add vitamin E, the effect is a little bit better. And if you add melatonin to the mix, it dramatically protects your skin.”

10 Everyday Things That Age You

You already know that smoking is linked to heart disease, infertility, bladder cancer, high blood pressure, and of course, lung cancer, but if none of those side effects motivate you to ditch the ciggies for good, maybe vanity will: Not only can regular smoking exacerbate skin conditions such as psoriasis, but it chronically deprives your skin cells of oxygen, which can lead to pale, uneven coloring. Smoking and secondhand smoke also trigger the breakdown of collagen and can lead to loose, saggy skin, not just on your face, but even on your upper arms and breasts. Lastly, smokers are constantly using the muscles around their mouth as they puff away, which is what causes those deep wrinkles longtime smokers often sport. Attractive, no?

Neglecting Your Eye Health

This is a good habit to start early, says Debra Jaliman, M.D., author of Skin Rules: Trade Secrets from a Top New York Dermatologist. “The skin around your eyes is the thinnest and has very few oil glands,” she says. Pamper your eyes with a little TLC and stave off signs of aging by picking a daily eye cream that include peptides—they work to stimulate collagen production and prevent fine lines. Be sure to check the label: Other notable ingredients that reduce puffiness, lines, wrinkles, and under eye circles are caffeine, nicotinic acid (a form of the B vitamin niacin), and eyeliss.

Knee pain ‘common’ among women over 50

Last updated 20 December 2011

A new study has highlighted the widespread nature of knee pain among women over the age of 50.

Scientists at the University of Oxford studied more than 1,000 women, aged 44 to 57 years, over a 12-year period in order to assess their experiences of knee pain – a condition that costs the UK £3.2 billion per year in lost productivity.

They found that 63 per cent of the women reported knee pain during the study period, with a high body mass index (BMI), history of previous knee injury and radiographic osteoarthritis acting as predictors for persistent pain.

Lead author Dr Nigel Arden, professor of rheumatology at the University of Oxford, said: ‘Our study is the first community-based investigation of knee pain patterns using multiple assessment points over a 12-year period.

‘Validation of our findings through reproduction in other patient groups is needed to advance knowledge of knee pain predictors that will ultimately enhance prevention and treatment strategies for those with osteoarthritis.’

The findings are published in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism and show why knee replacement surgery is so common in the UK, with more than 70,000 such operations now performed each year in England and Wales alone.

A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee…You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again..

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling… It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl…. Turning to her daughter, she asked, ‘ Tell me what you see.’

‘Carrots, eggs, and coffee,’ she replied..

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee.. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, ‘What does it mean, mother?’

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

‘Which are you?’ she asked her daughter. ‘When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy.

The happiest of people don’t necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can’t go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches. When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling.. Live your life so at the end, you’re the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

You might want to send this message to those people who mean something to you (I JUST DID); to those who have touched your life in one way or another; to those who make you smile when you really need it; to those who make you see the brighter side of things when you are really down; to those whose friendship you appreciate; to those who are so meaningful in your life.

If you don’t send it, you will just miss out on the opportunity to brighten someone’s day with this message!

love everything tropical and coconuts definitely fall into that category. When I think of a coconut, I imagine myself laying on a beautiful sandy beach with a coconut in hand while I’m sipping its refreshing juice from a straw. Sounds great, doesn’t it? Well, not only coconut juice itself but also fats and oils from the coconut are great for you! Make sure you use virgin coconut oil only. The type of saturated fats in this type of coconut oil is easily absorbed by the body and used for energy. Here are some more benefits of coconut oil or fats!

1.Helps with Digestion by coating the membrane of the digestion tract.
2.Antiviral and antimicrobial. Has lauric acid which converts to monolaurin which helps the body fight against viruses.
3.Speeds up Metabolism. As a triacylglyercol oil it goes to the liver and is converted to energy which speeds up the metabolism. Also, more bile is produced which breaks down fat.
4.Good for Skin and Hair. Treats eczema, dandruff, and dermatitis. Mix 4 tbsp of coconut oil with a quart jar warm water and pour over hair and scalp. Leave it for 24 hours then rinse. You’ll notice a huge difference in how moisturized your scalp and hair look and feel.
5.Poison Antidote for aluminum phosphide poisonings. This is found a lot as an ingredient in pest control.

For dinner, I’ve been making my own salad dressing of 1 tbs. coconut oil mixed with 1 tbs balsamic vinegar and pouring it over my salads. Tastes yummy and is good for you too!

Give coconut oil a try. You’ll love the mild flavor and the nutritional benefits are great.

With love and fitness, Dr. Natalie Pennington

I love everything tropical and coconuts definitely fall into that category. When I think of a coconut, I imagine myself laying on a beautiful sandy beach with a coconut in hand while I’m sipping its refreshing juice from a straw. Sounds great, doesn’t it? Well, not only coconut juice itself but also fats and oils from the coconut are great for you! Make sure you use virgin coconut oil only. The type of saturated fats in this type of coconut oil is easily absorbed by the body and used for energy. Here are some more benefits of coconut oil or fats!

1.Helps with Digestion by coating the membrane of the digestion tract.
2.Antiviral and antimicrobial. Has lauric acid which converts to monolaurin which helps the body fight against viruses.
3.Speeds up Metabolism. As a triacylglyercol oil it goes to the liver and is converted to energy which speeds up the metabolism. Also, more bile is produced which breaks down fat.
4.Good for Skin and Hair. Treats eczema, dandruff, and dermatitis. Mix 4 tbsp of coconut oil with a quart jar warm water and pour over hair and scalp. Leave it for 24 hours then rinse. You’ll notice a huge difference in how moisturized your scalp and hair look and feel.
5.Poison Antidote for aluminum phosphide poisonings. This is found a lot as an ingredient in pest control.

For dinner, I’ve been making my own salad dressing of 1 tbs. coconut oil mixed with 1 tbs balsamic vinegar and pouring it over my salads. Tastes yummy and is good for you too!

Give coconut oil a try. You’ll love the mild flavor and the nutritional benefits are great.